How to Watch Tonight's State of the Union

On Tuesday night, we’re all going to need a little help, so let’s link arms, pour the wine, and get a few tips together on how we’re going to get through this.

First, I’m recommending a little visualization. Tonight we’re going to see that triptych of Trump, Pence, and Ryan on the screen. But I want us all to begin our viewing by remembering that it was not all that long ago that this image was very, very different.

I don’t just mean swapping out an unqualified lunatic president for one that literally made the entire world proud. I mean all three people. Tonight we’ll see three white men, just as we’ve almost always seen three white men. Even when we liked the guys, they were still white guys. That was the only flavor we got in the State of the Union screen.

But just a few years ago, it was different. Profoundly different for the very first time. A black man stood in the center, flanked by one white man and one woman. Remember it? How jarring and awesome it was to see that?

That won’t be the last time that happens. And we’re going to make sure of it. We're going to make it even better next time.

So tonight, while you’re watching the screen, consider supporting candidates who will change the picture. It’s too early to know who’s running for president in 2020, but go ahead and tune out Trump and think about which women, which black and brown men, which LGBTQ Americans you want to see in his place one day. And then kick them some cash!

This is how we’re going to get through this. By channeling our rage into work.

When he says something hateful about building a stupid racist wall, we’re going to head right over to United We Dream and sign up.

When he talks about the dictators he loves or he publicly itches for a nuclear fight, we’re going to go to Amnesty International and work for peace.

When he threatens our civil rights, we go to the ACLU. When he threatens our environment, we hit up Sierra Club.

When he attacks journalists and the media, we donate $5 to the news outlet we read the most.

Every move we make we tell our networks online we’re making it. Let them know they don’t have to feel helpless watching. They can help make it better.

And a note on watching! You don’t have to do it. You can take that time to do some good in the world, online, in your community, for your country. Don’t sit it out, but you don’t have to listen just because he’s talking.

But don’t worry! This doesn’t have to be all high-minded altruism. You can still be petty. If you do watch, make sure you watch on the livestream — NOT on your TV. It won’t show up in the ratings, and that will hurt his feelings.

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